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WEEK FIVE FOOTBALL FORECAST

East Liverpool

at Beaver Local,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Beaver Local (3-1) and East Liverpool (1-3) renew a rivalry series which has usually been quite competitive in recent seasons. East Liverpool is licking its wounds after a 33-7 loss at Ravenna Southeast last week. That’s a Southeast team which lost to West Branch by 29 points. Beaver Local beat West Branch in the second week, but that was a healthier version of the Beavers who beat Edison 33-6 last week.

United at Columbiana,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: United (2-2) enters this contest needing a win to stay alive in the league hunt. Another setback would put them at 0-2 in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference and it would seem that there is no way back from that this season. Columbiana (2-2, 1-0 in the league) is still trying to find an identity. Are they the team that beat McDonald in overtime or the team that was outscored by a combined total of 69-3 against Western Reserve and Springfield? Time will tell.

East Palestine at Wellsville,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: East Palestine (2-2) is going to be the one team that is on everyone’s radar in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference after its decisive win over United in the EOAC opener. Wellsville (1-3) is still learning and the league schedule did them no favors as they have the EOAC’s four Div. VI teams in consecutive weeks.

Lisbon at Southern,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Southern (2-2) has had two trying games the past two weeks and could use a boost to get its confidence back on track. Lisbon (3-1) has not lost to Southern Local in a league game since the days of the old Tri-County League.

Toronto at Leetonia,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Toronto (3-1) looks like it’s going to be a contender in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference after its exciting win over Southern last week. Leetonia (0-4) has not won a league game of any kind since 2012.

Canton South at Salem,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Salem (4-0) has done its part to put itself in a position to make a run at the Northeastern Buckeye Conference title and this showdown with the Wildcats (4-0) will determine if the Quakers are ready to be taken seriously as something more than a darkhorse. Like Salem, none of Canton South’s wins so far have been over elite competition, but the Wildcats have played larger schools. A reminder: South won two games last season, one of those coming against Salem.

Minerva at West Branch,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: West Branch (1-3) is pretty much at the point of saying good-bye to any playoff hopes in Div. III, but it can still have an impact on the league race. Minerva (0-4) is still in the doldrums after losing its 24th straight game. Warriors will have to be careful not to count out the Lions.

Brookfield at South Range,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: South Range (4-0) is the only area team with a state-ranking designation (No. 2 in Div. V) and so far it seems like the Raiders have lived up to the hype. Brookfield might be 1-3, but its only win came against Springfield — a team South Range also beat.

Mineral Ridge

at Western Reserve,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Mineral Ridge (3-1) is a play or two away from being 4-0 which is surprising since the Rams have not had a winning season since 2012. Western Reserve (3-1) has had the much tougher schedule so far so this could be an opportunity for the Blue Devils to make a statement about their top dog status in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference.

Springfield at McDonald,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: This will be one of the more competitive Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference battles this season. Springfield (2-2) is still in a position where it can’t lose if it’s to make a run at the playoffs. McDonald (3-1) has beaten Brookfield which the Tigers lost to in the second week of the season.

Jackson-Milton at Sebring,

7 p.m. Friday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Sebring (0-4) came out with 15 players against Western Reserve last week with that number dwindling to 14 this week. Jackson-Milton (1-3) hasn’t had the greatest of results, but it has the numbers align in the Bluejays’ favor.

Crestview at Cleveland Shaw,

2 p.m. Saturday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Crestivew (2-2) might be a little down after letting one get away against defending Div. VII state champion Warren JFK last week, but a new week brings new challenges, especially with the unique schedule Crestview has put together. This week, a Saturday afternoon trip to historic Shaw Stadium which was the place the NFL’s Cleveland Rams (now Los Angeles Rams) won their first NFL home game in franchise history in 1938. The Cardinals (1-3) are a Div. III program which earned its first win last week against Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph.

Vincent Warren at Oak Glen,

7 p.m. Saturday

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Oak Glen (1-2) could not have asked for a better opponent coming off a bye week — at least on paper. Vincent Warren, a Div. III Ohio team, is 0-4 and has been outscored 201 to 36. Those teams that beat the Warriors are a combined 12-4, though.

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